Shower head



C. H. NORDELL SHOWER HEADl 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 25, 1948 y r M July 10, 1951 Q H, NQRDELL 2,559,894

SHOWER HEAD Filed Feb. 25, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 10, 1951 c. H. NoRDELL 2,559,894

SHOWER HEAD Filed Feb. 25, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented ]uly 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOWER HEAD Carl H. Nordell, Palm Springs, Calif.

Application February 25, 1948, Serial No. 10,700

My invention relates generally to shower heads, and more particularly to improvements in adjustable spray shower heads for use in shower baths and the like.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide an improved shower head of simplified construction, which may be economically manufactured, and will provide an improved spray.

A further object is to provide an improved shower head in which most of the external parts are made of stampings of stainless sheet steel or similar alloys, which are noncorrodible, whereby the cost of buing, plating, and polishing is avoided.

A further object is to provide an improved shower head in which the degree of convergence or divergence of the individual spray streams may readily be adjusted.

A further object is to provide an improved shower head in which the parts may be easily assembled, and in which a single member, made of synthetic rubber or the like, performs the functions of two gaskets, as well as providing the spray apertures.

A further object is to provide an improved shower head, the nozzle apertures of which will not become clogged by lime and similar deposits, and which may readily be replaced.

A further object is to provide a shower head having a removable apertured spray forming part with means for preventing its removal while the head is subjected to hydraulic pressure, but which may be removed readily when the supply of water to the head is shut off.

A further object is to provide an improved shower head in which the water may be made to emerge in the form of very ne streams which break up into a mist-like spray having a tendency to adhere to the skin rather than to spatter away.

A further object is to provide an improved shower head which will operate to produce a desirable spray even though the water is supplied thereto at a very low ow rate.

A further object is to provide a shower head having a central adjusting screw provided with a handle which projects through the spray, but is so conformed as not to deiiect any jets forming the spray.

A further object is to provide a shower head Y tional discharge of the liquid when its pressure becomes excessively high.

Other objects will appear from the following 3 Claims. (VCI. 299-141) description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the improved shower head;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal cross sectional View, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the shape assumed by the diaphragm when subjected to normal water pressure;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the shape assumed by the diaphragm when it is subjected to excessively high pressure;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention, a portion thereof being shown in section to illustrate the choke disc;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the invention, in which there is incorporated a manually adjustable throttle valve; and j Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line I 0-I0 of Fig. 9.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 695,763, iiled September 9, 1946, and now abandoned.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the shower head is illustrated as connected to a water supply pipe II! having a socket I2 threaded thereto. The pipe I 0 is connected to the water supply through a temperature controlling mixing valve, or through the usual hot and cold water control valves. As best shown in Fig. 2, the socket I2 has an annular inturned conical iiange portion I4, the inner surface of which forms a seat for a gasket I6 which may be made of a relatively hard graphited rubber or asbestos compound, or similar packing material.

The gasket IB is engaged by the spherical surface of a half-ball member I8., which is confined Within the socket I2 and has a relatively narrow of the half-ball I8 and the gasket I6.

The lower end of the shell 26 is provided with a ring 32 having a flange 34 surrounding the lower edge of the shell '26 and having radially inwardly directed flange 35 which terminates in a downwardly projecting flange 36. The flange 35 may be secured to the shell 26 by screw thread- *":rowof alternately staggered jet slits S2.

slits are approximately .045 inch in length reing, soldering, or by spot welding, since it is not essential that this joint be watertight. is this joint is not made watertight, it is advisable t provide small openings along the horizontal portion of the iiange 35 to enable the free Iescape of air, and thereby to permit the flange le to be pressed against the shell wall 26.

A diaphragm 38 has a thick peripheral sealing flange 40 which is held by the water pressure against the internal cylindrical surface of the shell 25. The diaphragm 38 is likewise pressed against the radially inwardly extending flange 35 of the ring 32, not only directly by the water pressure, but also indirectly by an apertured :retainer 42. This retainer is generally of inverted `cup shape Aand has a radially outwardly directed flange 44. The retainer has a central aperture in which a nut 48 is securedyas by brazing or welding, to receive an adjusting screw 50.

The diaphragm 38 is of graduated thickness, being relatively thick along the annular .part thereof which `is clamped between .the flanges 44 and 35, being relatively thin immediately inside this annular part, and increasing in thickness toward the center at which there is preferably a boss 52 surrounding the adjusting screw 50.

The adjusting screw 50 is provided with a wing shaped handle `54, the upper edge of which has a knife edge 56 extending throughout the portion of the handle which lies within the path of the spray or jet stream. Due to the provision of this knife edge, jets of water impinging directly on the handle are not deflected or scattered, but instead, the jet will be divided by the knife edge and flow in two streams, one along each side'of the handle, and these .streams will coalesce and reform into a single jet at the trailing edge vof the handle. As a result of this shape of the handle, it does not interfere with the shape of the spray beam formed by the jets of water.

The adjusting screw is provided with a metal Washer 58 for supporting the central -portion of the diaphragm 38.

The diaphragm 38 is provided with a circular These spectively and are spaced along a circle having a diameter of about 1% inches. The length of the slits should be of length about equal to the lthickness of the diaphragm through which they are pierced. A variation of about plus or lminus 25% in the length of the slits compared with the thickness of the diaphragm does not greatly affect the function of the slits in forming very fine jets. However, if the slit Yis made much .less than 25% less than the thickness of the dia-- phragm, the jets become practically circular in cross section and do not break up into a mistlike spray, but instead impinge upon the Ybather in relatively solid high velocity jets which may be painful, or at least unpleasant, to aY bather having tender skin. If the slit length is much greater than 25% more than the diaphragm thickness, the jets are large, do not break up into a mist, and become painful to a bather with tender skin.

An increase in the length of the slits increases the discharge capacity and to obtain the in creased discharge it may in some instances be desirable to make the length of the slits somewhat greater than the thickness of the diaphragm at the place they are formed. The discharge capacity of the head may also be increased by increasing the number of slits, but in ahead of given over-all dimensions an increase in the number of slits will result in the merging or coalescence of the jets. In the example given where the slits are pierced along a circle of 1% diameter, 64 slits were formed, thus spacing them about one-sixteenth of an inch apart. An appreciably closer spacing results in the coalescence fof adjacent jets, thus in part defeating one of the purposes of the invention. Therefore, to obtain different discharge capacities vfrom a shower head which is of convenient size, and which may be manufactured at a low cost, it is preferable to vary the length of the slits, and to some extent their number, but, as above indicated, the varia tion in slit length should not be appreciably more thant25% more nor 25% less than the diaphragm thickness.

The thickness of the diaphragm is, ofcourse, determined by the composition of which it is made. The above dimensional .suggestions are made on the assumption that the diaphragm is made of a relatively soft synthetic rubber, such as Neoprene, which does not materially change .its characteristics throughout a temperature ,range of 0 C. to 100 C. This material has a long, useful life under the conditions to which it is exposed in a shower head.

In addition to the circular row of staggered slits 62 there is provided a circular row of slits 54 which are preferably somewhat longer than the slits 62. In normal use of the shower head, as illustrated in Fig. 5, it will be noted that the slits 64 lie within the periphery of the washer 58 and that ow of water through .the slits is precluded since the diaphragm 38 is pressed firmly against the washer 58 by the water pressure.

Since alternate slits 62 are at slightly different distances from the center of the diaphragm, and since the water pressure causes that portion of the diaphragm between the edge of the washer 58 and the flange 35 to bulge outwardly, the jets of water emerging from adjacent slits will be directed in slightly different directions as illustrated in Fig. 5. The degree of divergence of the jets, and hence the angular width .of the beam of the spray, may be controlled by adjustment of the screw 50, which determines the position of the washer 58. If the washer is moved outward by unscrewing the adjusting screw 50 from the position in which it is shown in Figs. 2 and 5, it will be apparent that the portion of the dia.- phragm between the washer 58 and the flange 36 will assume a diiferent cross sectional curvature and the jets of water discharged from the slits 62 will become more divergent and thus the included angle of the spray beam correspondingly increased. If the washer 58 is moved inwardly from the position in which it is shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the cross sectional curvature of the diaphragm 38 between the washer 58 and flange 36 will change to cause the jets discharged .from the slits E2 to be less divergent..

In a more or less extreme position of inward adjustment of the washer 58, the jets from the slits B2 will meet and tend to cross one another a short distance from the head, and the jets will coalesce into a relatively narrow beam in which the water particles will be of substantial size.

Whenever the position of adjustment of the washer 58 is such that the jets of water diverge, the jets will not merge but at a distance of a few inches from the diaphragm they will break up into very iine droplets so that the spray beam will have the appearance and will feel like a heavy enveloping mist rather than as aspray comprising a plurality of individual jet streams. Under these conditions of adjustment, the impingement of the mist-like spray is hardly felt by the most delicate skin, and, furthermore, the particles of water are of such small size that they tend to adhere to the skin rather than to spatter therefrom as do larger drops. For these reasons the shower head is highly advantageous for the bathing of babies and others whose skin is delicate. It is also for these reasons that an adequate shower bath may be had with the use of a minimum amount of water, since substantially all of the Water discharged from the shower head is used to lave the skin.

When the diaphragm bulges outwardly, as

above described, the flange 36 serves as a means to prevent excessive radially outward extension of the bulging portion of the diaphragm, thereby relieving stresses upon the bulged portion.

n When the pressure of the water supplied to the shower head exceeds a safe maximum value, the diaphragm 38 will be stretched to a shape such as illustrated in Fig. 6, from which it will be noted that the stretching of the diaphragm has been su'icient to pull that portion of the diaphragm having the slits 64 cut therein, beyond the peripheral edge of the washer 5B. Since the slits 64 are relatively long, a substantial amount of water will flow therethrough and thus relieve the -excessive pressure which might otherwise cause bursting of the diaphragm.

The passageway through the neck and halfball 8 is of suciently small diameter to restrict substantially the rate of flow of Water through the shower head, this restriction being suicient to reduce materially the rate of flow as compared with that of conventional shower heads. As a result, the improved shower head eiects a substantial saving in the use of water. This is an important factor in reducing the consumption of heated Water, particularly in the use of the shower head in public and commercial institutions, such as hotels, motor courts, hospitals, and in other institutions where the consumption of water or the heating of water is an importantr item of expense, such, for example, as aboard ship. Thus the improved shower head not only provides a more thorough wetting of the skin and thus a more complete shower bath than is provided by conventional shower heads, but these results are obtained at a greatly reduced consumption of water and a consequent large reduction in thefuel required to heat the water for shower baths.

It is important to note that the bulging of the diaphragm in the space between the washer 58 and the ange 3% tends to stretch the central portion of the diaphragm more than the peripheral portion, and if the diaphragm were not of gradually increasing thickness toward the center, this effect of stretching the central portion of the diaphragm would move the slits outwardly on the bulged portion and cause divergence of the spray jets. Furthermore, the increased thickness toward the center provides additional material to bear the increased stresses in this region.

Another distinct advantage of the shower head is that the annular width of the spray beam may be adjusted, while the shower head is in use, by means of the handle 54 secured to or forming a part of the adjusting screw 5|). The outer end portion of this handle projects beyond the spray beam and may be grasped and the screw 5|! rotated without in any way interfering with the spray beam. This is due to the fact that the hand need not be placed into the spray beam While making the adjustment and also due to the fact that the leading edge of the handle 54 is provided with a knife edge 56 which does not cause deflection or spattering of the jets even though some jets may impinge directly against the knife edge.

The invention may also be embodied in a simplified form such as shown in Figs. '7 and 8. In the construction shown in these figures, the shell 26, flange ring 32, handle 54, and diaphragm 38 may be of construction identical with that of the form of invention shown in Figs l to 6, a1- though when the shower head is to be used under conditions where excessive pressures may occasionally be encountered, the ring 32 and the washer 60 (which corresponds to the washer 58 of Fig. 2) may be provided with curved lips 65 and 61, respectively, to prevent excessive bulging and possible rupture of the diaphragm. It will be noted, however, that the shell 2S is suitably secured to a pipe bushing l which is threaded to receive the supply pipe IE! and has a bore '|2 for the reception of a flow choke disc le having an aperture 16 therein. The choke disc 'M is retained in position between a pair of annular washers '18, of synthetic rubber or similar material, which serve as gaskets to prevent leakage of water around the choke disc as Well as the means for retaining the choke disc in position. This form of the shower head does not have the advantage of permitting angular adjustment of the head with respect to the fixed supply pipe I0, but may be manufactured at a lower cost than the angularly adjustable head shown in Figs. l to 6. It is therefore particularly designed for use in public and commercial institutions. In such installations, the size of the opening 16 in the choke disc 64 may be varied to suit the average prevailing water pressure and desired lflow rate. Due to the high erliciency of the spray formed by the head, the aperture 'i6 may be quite small so as to reduce substantially the water flow rate through the head, and thus greatly reduce the expense of the water supply and heating required.

In some uses of the shower head, it is desirable to provide means at the head for adjusting the flow rate. In Figs. 9 and 10 there is shown a modified form of the invention designed for this purpose. In this form of the invention a shell Sii is formed to provide a neck portion 82 to be threaded to the supply pipe I9. The diaphragm 84 has its bottom peripheral edge surface resting against the inwardly directed flange 86 of a ring 88, the flange 86 terminating in an inwardly tapered and downwardly directed circumferential flange 88. The peripheral portion of the diaphragm is pressed against the flange 8B directly by the water pressure as well as by the water pressure applied through an inverted cup-like retainer Sil having a' troughlike flange 92 engaging the diaphragm 94. An internally threaded bushing Se is secured in the retainer by being soldered or welded thereto, this bushing having a plurality of radial ports 98 communicating with a central threaded passageway |00. A screw |82 has one of its ends |04 threaded in the bushing 96 so that when it is turned inwardly it will partially or completely obstruct the ports 98 and thus reduce or shut olf the flow of water to the space within the retainer 90.

The lower threaded end portion |05 of the screw |02 has a nut |06 threaded thereon, this nut being provided for adjusting the position of the central portion of the diaphragm 84 and thus serving the same purpose as that of the washer 58 in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6. The adjusting screw is also provided with a handle |08, which may be of the form previously described, having a leading knife edge to prevent spattering of jets of water which may impinge thereon. The diaphragm 84 is provided with slits H which may be of the same general size and arrangement as above described with reference to the slits 62 in the embodiment of the Figs 1 to 6, but are illustrated as being arranged in a single circular row, with each of the slits perpendicular to a radius.

The embodiment of Figs. 9 and 10 is used and operated in substantially the same manner as the first described embodiment except that the nut 506 is used to adjust the position of the diaphragm in determining the angular divergence of the spray beam and the handle |08 is used to regulate the rate of flow of water to the diaphragm or to shut it ou completely. When the handle |03 is rotated while water is being supplied to the head, the diaphragm 34 will press against the nut 106 with sufficient force to prevent the latter from rotating.

It will be noted that when the water supply to the shower head of any one of the described embodiments is cut olf by means of the usual hot water control valves or mixing valve, the slits will close and prevent undesirable dripping of the water from the head.

In all of the embodiments of the invention, the possibility of clogging of the jet slits or apertures by the deposit of lime or other foreign material, is substantially eliminated. This is because the portion of the diaphragm in which the slits are located stretches and contracts each time the shower head is used, and any incipient deposits of lime adjacent Ythe slits are therefore cracked oil and discharged.

The diaphragm being made of a synthetic rubberlike material, has a very long useful life, but if it should deteriorate after a long period of use, it may readily be removed and replaced by the nonmechanically inclined housewife without the use of tools.

Particularly in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the position of the slits is such that the direction of the spray beam remains unchanged with changes in water pressure. The slits B2 are arranged in a circle, which is not half Way between the peripheral edge of the washer 58 and the inner edge of the flange 36, but instead, are located somewhat closer to the center because of the fact that as the water pressure increases, the stretching of the diaphragm takes place in the central portion more than in the outer portion thereof.

The clogging of the jet apertures which is an ever-present problem in shower heads having rigid jet orifices, is completely avoided, and this is accomplished in a construction in which the jet orifices are so small under normal conditions of use that each individual jet breaks up into such fine droplets that the spray beam has the appearance of, and feels as if it were, a mist, rather than jets impinging upon the skin.

As previously pointed out, the shower heads Ydisclosed herein are very economical in the consumption of water. Because of the eiiicient wetting of the skin by the mistlike spray, the fact that the rate of water flow is considerably less than from conventional shower heads is not 8 l noticed or `observed by'the user. The shower head is therefore used to very substantial advantage in installations where the cost of the water supplied, or the expense of heating the water, are factors of importance.

While I have shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent that numerous variations and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. I therefore desire, by the following claims, to include within the .scope of the invention all such variations and modifications by which substantially the results of my invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

I claim:

1. In a shower head, the combination of a cuplike shell, a ring secured to the lower open end of the shell and partially closing the latter, a diaphragm of relatively soft rubberlike material resting upon the inner surface of said ring, said Adiaphragm having a plurality of slits formed therein inwardly of the opening in the ring and having a rim substantially thicker than the remainder of the diaphragm, an inverted cuplike retainer having a flange engaging the diaphragm just inside the rim along an annular surface opposite the ring, and means connecting the retainer with the central portion of the diaphragm to move the latter inwardly and outwardly, thereby to vary the eifective shape of the diaphragm.

2. In a shower head, a diaphragm of soft rubberlike material having a peripheral thick p0rtion and a thin portion adjoining the thick p0rtion and increasing in thickness toward a thicker center portion, said diaphragm having a plurality of slits arranged in a circular row in the thin portion thereof. said slits being of a length apprcximately equal to the thickness of the thin portion of the diaphragm, means constructed for connection to a source of liquid under pressure and enclosing one side of the diaphragm and supporting the peripheral portion, and means supporting the central portion of the diaphragm.

3. For use in a shower head, a circular diaphragm having thick central and peripheral edge portions, the portion intermediate the peripheral edge portion and the central portion being relatively thin and increasing in thickness toward the central portion, the thinner intermediate portion having a plurality of slits therein to form jet apertures when the intermediate portion is subjected to fluid pressure on one side thereof to cause the intermediate portion to bulge.

CARL H. NOR/DELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,636,314 Murray July 19, 1927 1,863,548 Bloch June 14, 1932 1,849,517 Fraser Mar. 15, 1932 1,993,011 Lindberg Mar. 5, 1935 2,075,249 Wilson Mar. 30, 1937 2,086,017 Donahue July 6, 1937 2,269,901 Bletcher et al J an. 13, 1942 2,402,741 Draviner June 25, 1946 2,451,071 Cline Oct. 12, 1948 2,476,440 De La Garde July 19, 1949 

